Barbell

ABSTRACT

A bar bell comprises a plate-accepting bar that extends longitudinally between two end regions at which weight plates can be mounted, a longitudinally-extending handle positioned above the plate-accepting bar and supported by the barbell, a pair of barbell-supporting brackets positioned at respective end regions of the plate-accepting bar to stably support the barbell on a supporting surface without contact between mounted weight plates and the supporting surface, and at least one longitudinally-extending fulcrum bar affixed to the barbell in such a way that it is positioned to contact a user&#39;s forearm during a bicep curl and create a lever arm vis-à-vis the handle that maintains the barbell&#39;s center of gravity in a lagging position with respect to the user&#39;s hands so as to exert enhanced resistance to the curling movement during the movement.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention pertains to exercise apparatus of the type employingmovable weight plates. Examples of such devices are barbells anddumbbells.

There are two fundamental types of dumbbells and barbells: the “fixedweight” type, wherein the weight plates are permanently secured on theends of a bar, and the “adjustable” type, wherein weight plates aresecured on the bar by removable collars that permit the user to add orremove individual weight plates to the bar.

SUMMARY

An improved barbell for bicep curl movements is described herein thatremains stationary when set on the floor or other support surface,provides convenient mounting and dismounting of weight plates, andprovides less back stress as it is grasped.

Briefly, the bar bell comprises a plate-accepting bar that extendslongitudinally between two end regions at which weight plates can bemounted, a longitudinally-extending handle positioned above theplate-accepting bar and supported by the barbell, a pair ofbarbell-supporting brackets positioned at respective end regions of theplate-accepting bar to stably support the barbell on a supportingsurface without contact between mounted weight plates and the supportingsurface, and at least one longitudinally-extending fulcrum bar affixedto the barbell in such a way that it is positioned to contact a user'sforearm during a bicep curl and create a lever arm vis-à-vis the handlethat maintains the barbell's center of gravity in a lagging positionwith respect to the user's hands so as to exert enhanced resistance tothe curling movement during the movement.

These and other details concerning the invention will be apparent fromthe following description of the preferred embodiment, of which thedrawings form a part.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the preferred embodiment,

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a preferred barbell constructed inaccordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a right side elevation view of a dumbbell constructed inaccordance with the invention, with the weight plates removed; and

FIG. 3 is a right side elevation view showing a user grasping thebarbell in its resting position; and

FIG. 4 is an oblique front view showing a user performing a bicep curlwith the barbell.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1-2, a barbell 10 comprises a plate-accepting bar 11that extends longitudinally between two end regions at which weightplates 14 can be mounted. A longitudinally-extending handle 16positioned above the plate-accepting bar 11 is supported by the barbell,namely (in the preferred embodiment) by a pair of barbell-supportingL-shaped brackets 12 positioned at respective end regions of theplate-accepting bar.

The brackets 12 stably support the barbell on a supporting surface(typically, a floor) via respective leg portions 12 a formed by the baseof the “L”. The preferred brackets 12 accordingly include a through holewhich permits passage of the plate-accepting bar 11 therethrough. Thebar 11 is welded or otherwise securely affixed to the bracket.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the bar 11 is supported above the supportsurface (i.e., the floor) at a height sufficient to enable the weightplates to be clear of the supporting surface. This permits easy mountingand dismounting of the weight plates, a particularly important featurewhen Olympic plates or standard plates of substantial poundage are beingused. The brackets also preclude the barbell from rolling, as barbellswith round plates can do when the supporting surface is not perfectlyhorizontal.

As best illustrated in FIG. 3, the position of thelongitudinally-extending handle 16 above the plate-accepting bar 11presents the handle to the user at a height that decreases the degree towhich the user must bend in order to grasp the handle. Compared withconventional barbells whose plate-accepting bar also provides the handlegrasped by the user, the decrease is equal to the height theplate-accepting bar is raised from the floor by the brackets 12 plus theheight above the plate-accepting bar at which the handle 16 ispositioned. The raised position of the handle vis-à-vis a conventionalbarbell means that less stress is placed on the user's back and legs ingrasping and lifting the barbell because the user need not stoop as low.

The barbell 10 includes at least one longitudinally-extending fulcrumbar 18 (and preferably a pair of such bars) affixed to the barbell insuch a way that it is positioned to contact a user's forearm during abicep curl and create a lever arm vis-à-vis the handle that maintainsthe barbell's center of gravity in a lagging position with respect tothe user's hands so as to exert enhanced resistance to the curlingmovement during the movement. Turning to FIG. 4, the function of theleverage bar is seen as the user approaches the upper region of a bicepcurl. Pads, mounted about the fulcrum bar 18 for safety and comfort ofthe user, have contacted the user's outer forearms, forming a firstmoment arm whereby the curling force applied by the user to the handleacts against the first moment arm created by the radial distance betweenthe user's contact with the handle and user's contact with the fulcrumbar, while the effective resistance to the user's effort is a verticallydownward force vector acting on a second moment arm that is a functionof the radial distance between the longitudinal axis of theplate-accepting bar 11 and the user's contact point with the fulcrum bar18.

As best illustrated in FIG. 2, each bracket 12 has a lower relativelywide portion 12 a against which the weight plates are mounted, and anupper stem portion 12 b which provides the height for mounting thehandle 16 to the bracket. The handle 16 is preferably mounted about abar that extends longitudinally between and into the brackets 12, and ispreferably supported about the bar by bearing means such as those knownin the art for smooth and virtually friction-free rotation.

The bracket can be provided with means for adjusting the height at whichthe plate-accepting bar is positioned, thereby controlling the length ofthe second moment arm and, consequently, the counter-torque to beprovided by the weight of the barbell. In addition, and as bestappreciated by reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the height at which theplate-accepting bar 11 is supported limits the diameter, and thereforethe weight, of weight plates that can be accepted by the barbell. Sincethe number of weight plates mountable on the bar 11 is limited by thelength of the bar 11 protruding outward from the bracket 12, limiting oradjusting the diameter of the accommodated plates limits the weight thata user can curl. This provides a safety feature attractive toliability-conscious gym owners and training professionals, especially ingyms where inexperienced users might overextend and injure themselves.

Similarly, the amount of effort needed to curl a given weight is afunction of the aforedescribed first moment arm. Accordingly, the heightof the lifting bar 16 can be fixed at a desired height, or the barbellcan be configured to provide a height-adjustment mechanism that changeslength of the second moment arm and the consequential curling effortneeded. In the illustrated embodiment, the height of the lifting bar 16is fixed by coupling the bar 16 between opposite stem portions 12 b thatare integral parts of the brackets 12. While currently preferred, otherbracket shapes and added adjustment mechanisms are within the scope ofthis invention.

Although a currently preferred embodiment of the present invention andits advantages have been described in detail above, it should beunderstood that various details, changes, substitutions and alterationswill be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having thebenefit of the foregoing specification. It is intended that all suchvariations be within the scope and spirit of the invention, and that theinvention be solely defined by the appended claims, which are to begiven the broadest allowable interpretation consistent with the Doctrineof Equivalents.

We claim:
 1. A barbell comprising: a plate-accepting bar that extendslongitudinally between two end regions at which weight plates can bemounted, a longitudinally-extending handle positioned above theplate-accepting bar and supported by the barbell, a pair ofbarbell-supporting brackets positioned at respective end regions of theplate-accepting bar to stably support the barbell on a supportingsurface without contact between mounted weight plates and the supportingsurface, and at least one longitudinally-extending fulcrum bar affixedto the barbell in such a way that it is positioned to contact a user'sforearm during a bicep curl and create a lever arm vis-à-vis the handlethat maintains the barbell's center of gravity in a lagging positionwith respect to the user's hands so as to exert enhanced resistance tothe curling movement during the movement.
 2. The barbell of claim 1wherein the brackets each include a through hole permitting passage ofthe plate-accepting bar 11 therethrough so that weight plates can bemounted about the portions of the plate-accepting bar lyinglongitudinally outward of the brackets.
 3. The barbell of claim 2wherein the bar is welded to the brackets.
 4. The barbell of claim 1wherein the brackets each have a lower relatively wide portion againstwhich weight plates can be mounted, and an upper stem portion to which arespective end of the handle is coupled.
 5. The barbell of claim 4wherein the handle comprises a bar that extends longitudinally betweenthe brackets, and a grippable surface supported for rotation about saidbar.